By: Rachel Knepp Watercolor, a beloved medium, captures my heart with its translucent hues and fluid brushstrokes, allowing me to express emotions and explore the beauty of the world with every stroke. Discover the captivating journey of watercolor through the annals of art history. In this blog post, we delve into the origins, evolution, and enduring charm of this mesmerizing painting technique. From its ancient roots to the Renaissance masters and modern innovations, join me as we explore the vibrant story of watercolors. history of watercolor Watercolor, with its origins dating back to ancient civilizations, has a rich history as…
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Image: From Brittanica.com Ansel Adams was born February 20, 1902 in San Francisco and died April 22, 1984 in Carmel, California. His father was a business man named Charles Hitchcock Adams and his mother was Olive Bray. His grandfather was a wealthy timber baron. He was born when his parents were much older in age and also lived with his maiden Aunt. It was a very conservative, Victorian household. When he was 4 years old, he fell during a large aftershock after the earthquake in 1906 and his nose was broken giving him a very distinctive look. Ansel was a…
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Historical furniture – Greece and Rome The use of furniture is as ancient as humanity. I wanted to examine some of the historical use of furniture in the ancient home. The earliest known furniture of the ancient world was often depicted in other items such as vases. Although not many samples of furniture survived, you can find a few on display in museums and artist renditions. Ancient Greece Beginning with the Minoans that occupied the island of Crete in the Mediterranean Sea, there has been evidence to show that people had furniture such as chairs in their residences and government…
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Full name: Eugenie-Henri- Paul Gauguin Born: June 7, 1847 In Paris, France Died: May 8, 1903 in Atuona, Hiva Oa, Marquesas, French Polynesia. His early years were not spent in the field of art but as a merchant marine then as a stock broker and the wealth that came with the it until the market crashed. It was at this time he was introduced to art by the business man Gustav Arosa who Gauguin’s mother had entrusted with her family’s welfare at her death. Arosa introduced Gauguin to his future wife, a Danish woman named Mette Sophia Gad. They had…
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Choosing your color scheme Color theory is quite a complex concept. I wanted to do some simplification and focusing on interiors to make it easier to understand and which can help chose a color scheme for your home. My color wheel The basics Google said 7 but there are 8 different color schemes. They are achromatic, monochromatic, analogous, complementary, split complementary, triadic, square and tetradic. The 3 at the end of the list are more appropriate for other art and design projects such as advertising. Typically for interiors we use the achromatic, monochromatic, complementary and analogous color suggestions. Achromatic color…
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(Tamastslikt – pronounced Tah-must-slikt means to “interpret” or “turn over” in Walla Walla.) Native American cultures are rich in artistic expression. It is expressed through even the very mundane objects. Art is intrinsically linked to most cultures. History – “We Were” The history of the plateau tribes were basically unchanged for thousands of years until the Europeans came to settle which brought dramatic alterations of life to the tribes. It was an overwhelming force of will. The institute is a look at the western expansion through the Native American point of view. The tribes included are the Cayuse, Umatilla, and…
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Edgar Degas – French Impressionist Degas is one of my personal favorites, especially the paintings of the ballerinas. He captured a behind the scenes image of the life of the professional ballerina. He was born Hilaire-Germain-Edgar de Gas on July 19, 1834, in the city of Paris, France. His father was Augustin de Gas, a banker of prominence. His mother was Marie-Celestine Musson from New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. She was Creole, descended from original French and Spanish settlers in Louisiana. She was an amateur opera singer. His father would arrange music recitals in their home. Edgar was the eldest of…
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The Mathematical constant in the natural world During my education in design, the one class I was required for my degree but what I found the most intriguing was sacred geometry. This geometry is what you find in nature, its mathematical constant. It even includes the structures of the universe such as the structure of galaxies. Throughout the ages, human beings would look to nature when designing religious buildings and other sacred spaces and in music composition. Since the divine proportion was from nature is also referred to as spiritual geometry. It was connected to the divine. It is also referred to…
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American Master of Architecture Born June 8, 1867 in Wisconsin to Anna Lloyd-Jones, a school teacher and William Wright, musician and preacher. Moved to Rhode Island for a while then back to Wisconsin. He went to the University of Michigan. He took engineering classes because at the time there was no instruction in architecture. He was looking to Chicago where the design of the new buildings fascinated him. His architecture instruction started by working in Chicago for J.L. Sillsbee doing architectural detail drawings then to Dankmar Adler and Louis Sullivan. Eventually he opened his own architecture firm. During this time…
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May is Mental Health Awareness Month. How can art help with anxiety?